Spring is here! My upper level wood
deck is finally showing. As I look around the neighborhood, I think of all the
debris we will be faced with as the snow melts. I've already noticed the Caltrans
people collecting damaged road markers from the snow plows.

Beyond streets, into the yards, we'll
find wheelburrows, hoses, a bike, clay pots and garbage cans popping up out
of the snow. Some of us will even uncover a missing car, truck, trailer, or
wood pile buried since December. Someone may soon find a corner of the deck
that collapsed under the weight of the great white stuff.

How many conversations will we remember
about all the shoveling or getting stuck in four wheel drive low? Remember the
Superbowl playoffs, or how about the Rosebowl parade? What? The cable was out?!

Oh well, just think of replenished
forest, running waters and bears feeding in the rivers instead of our garbage
cans. Think of wildflowers on sweet smelling trails and all the bulbs that will
bloom when the snow melts, whenever that will be.

What about the bees and mosquitos
this summer? They say people move here for one reason: the beauty of it all.
Hastles and annoyances are easily forgotten in paradise.